Arming device for a mine



Nov. 15, 1960 H. w. SEMON ARMING DEVICE FOR A MINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 8, 1945 6 QM F G Nov. 15, 1960 H. w. SEMON ARMING DEVICE FOR A MINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 8, 1945 Jig 4h FIQ; a.

HQ; 5'. 52 ll 53 54 2| United States Patent zl-t'is an object of the present invention ttozcprovide an warming device :for -shallow watermines wherein-new :and improved means are employed for movinglithe detonator rinto :oper'ative :relationiwi'thrrespect Ito"tlieiboostercharge.

:Another object isthe'iprovisionlof Jan arming device for shallow water mines in which the deto'nato'r is releasablyzhel d in "a safe position until the mine is imfmerse'din a body of water.

:A :fu'rther lobjectT'is the provision 70f ian'arrning device :ofsthe above character wherein a pair of electrical con- :tacts iis 'closedin time delayed relation with respect to -the. launching of the mine employing the arming device.

Addition'al objects and advantagesof theipresent in- '%vention "are those residing in and re'lat ing to the novl construction and arrangement of'the elements thereof as will Jmore clearly appear as the description-proceeds; reference 'being niadeto the accompanying drawings of which:

Fig. l is a view in elevation of the device of the'present invent-ion according to the preferred embodiment thereof;

Fig. 2"is-a vertical sectional view of the device shown 'in Fig. 1; 7

Fig.8 is a view partially in section'and partially in elevation taken along the line 33*ofFig. 1;

i-Fig. 4 is a view similar to that "of F-ig. 2 'showing the device in thearmed'p'os'ition;

'iFig. "5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to'that =of Fig. 3 and showing the -contact'-assembly "in" the op- "crated position; V v

Fig. 6 is =a sectionalviewtaken along the li'n'e 6'6 Fig. 7' is a'sectional View taken along the line 7 7 ample, astetryl, and comprising one element of an ex- "plosive train. A channel 14'is'cUt into the cylindrical member 10 extending through to the bore "11 with another channel 15 interconnecting the well 12 andchannel 14. A hole 16 is cut through the cylindrical member 10 in such a manner that the axis thereoflies in the same hori- 'zontal plane as the axis of channel '14, a horizontal'pas- 'sa'geway17 being arranged betweentheihole 16 and how The cylindrical member 10 .is provided with reduced .end portions, the .lower or inner end portion "thereof being threaded to receive a cap 18 to seal off the booster charge 13 and the upper or outer end portion being thread'ed' to receivean internally (threaded annular member 19. -A'ihexagonal plungerllpassesatbrough the mem- 2 her 19 and is arranged :in the bore 11, the plunger ll being provided'with a'channel.221he axis of which is ar- .ranged a-tiright angles-.to-the' axistof hole- 16. A suitable explosive r-primer 23 :is "arranged in the' hole-16 with-a :screwl mounted therein for-isealingspurposes and com- .prises-ranother element ofzthe-iaforesaid explosive train,

the explosive train further co'mprising a xletonator 24 arranged in the :channel 22' and -tetrylleads 25 --dis'posed zin :channels 1'4: and I15,' another:1screw beingarranged iin' channel-@14 for sealing ofi the t'etryl leads contained It-heri n. v

Th'e annularmember- 19 is provided withan internally threadedifianged portion 26 within which dis osed aninverted'Ieupshapedmember M secured to themember :1 9iby means of anut-Z8 which may be adjusted by'means i'ofa span'ner wrench. 'A flex ible g'as'ket element '29 is arrange'dbritwen t-he cup shaped'member'27 and the aninular member 19--in orderttoprovide-a water tight connection 'therebetween. The plunger 21 is "further provided with a'reduce'd portion 31" threaded to receive a nut 32 -and' washer 33 whereby-'the 'gas'ket 29 may be tightened againsta ring member 34 aflixed to the plunger as by brazing-and -engag'ing the six'po'ints of the hexagonal -portion thereof.

A substantially cup-shapedmem'ber 35 is *crimped to "the member '27- and cariies therein a salt washer'36 sleeved aboutplunger21 and adapted to be dissolved when u'Jnmersed-in-Water. The plunger""-2l"is provided with a "reduced threadedextremity 37 adapted to receive a knurled nut 38, a coil spring 39 being disposed about the "plunger 21 and having 'the apper end thereof inengagement with "the "crimped portion of fmember 35 and the lower end 'th'ereofinengagement 'with'the nut '32. By tightening -nut*38,' the plunger and 'deto'nator24 are caused 'tomove outwardly to a retracted position, Fi'gf2;whereby "spring 39 "is compressed and the detonator displaced from the explosive train, the washer being arranged "to releasably *maintain'the plunger and detouato'r in the retracted position. 7

The-member 35 is provided with holes 42 through which extends an arming wire 43 adapted to pass it'hroughorie side of the-groove 44;cut'intothefperiphery of therplunge'r "thereby to releasably" lockuthe plungerlzl' 'in'the retracted position. A ring 45 'extendsthrough"a holedulled-into the threaded extremity '3-7 o'ft'he'plunger thereby'tpreventing thenut38from1ibeirig "displaced as a 'resu'lt'of shocks received thereby. F g 1 A contact .assembly is secured "t'otlie'cYlind'riczil mern "ber10'by the screws 46and comprisesa movable leaf spring contact 47 and astationary contact element '48 'each being insulatedfrom' the other and from the'screws 46 by suitable strips of insulatingmaterial 49. "Thestationary contact element '48 is provided "with a "hole through which 'extends a cylindrical member 51 composed of any suitable insulating-materialsuch, for example, as Bakelite and having one end thereof aflixed to the'tnovable contact element 47. T be other end of the member 51 extends into a channel 52 cut into the cylindrical member 10 and engages a plug iii-disposed within the channel 52, the plug 53 being normally in engagement with the plunger '21 by reason of therpre-loading effect produced by the movable contact 47. The plunger21 is further provided with a recessed portion 54 adapted to be engaged by the plug 53 when the-detonator 24 has been movedinto operative relation with respect tothe primer 23, thereby to cause =the:movable contact 47-=to move into engagement with the stationary contact 48.

As heretofore describedithearmin'g device of'thefpresent invention is especially adapted for use in connection with shallow water mines T'launche'd from ran faircraft in :flight. In operation, the arming wire 43 is "rigidly scis caused to move downward under pressure exerted there on by the tension in the coil spring 39 such that when 7 I,

the washer is completely dissolved the plunger will have been extended to a position wherein the axis of the detonator 24 is in alignment with the axis of channel 14, Fig. 4, further downward motion of the plunger being prevented by reason of the engagement of the nut 38 with the recessed portion of the member 35. When this occurs the aforesaid explosive train is completed and contact 47 moves into engagement with contact 48, Fig. 5.

It will be noted that the primer 23 is adapted to be operated electrically by current passing through the leads 55, the leads 55 comprising the firing control system of the mine. When the primer is operated by current passing therethrough, a flame is generated thereby Which explodes the detonator 24, the explosive train being thereafter completed to the booster charge 13 through the tetryl leads 25 in a well known manner. It will be further understood, that contacts 47 and 48 may be included in the circuit comprising the primer 23 or may be used to initiate the operation of a suitable arming clock well known in the art to which the invention appertains.

Briefly stated in summary, the present invention contemplates the provision of an arming device wherein a normally broken explosive train is completed by the inward or downward motion of a spring loaded plunger, the motion of the plunger being initiated after an arming wire has been withdrawn and a soluble washer dissolved.

While the invention has been disclosed in particularity with reference to an example thereof which gives satisfactory results, it readily will be understood by those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that further embodiments, modifications, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

The present invention may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an arming device, a housing means having an inner end and an outer end and aligned holes in the outer end, a channel in the inner end and an incomplete powder train contained in the inner end; a plunger slideably mounted within said housing for translatory movement from a retracted position to an extended position, said plunger having an outer end section, an inner end sec tion, a circular peripheral groove on the outer end section, a recessed portion on the inner end section, and an explosive element contained in the inner end section and arranged therein for alignment with the powder train when the plunger is in the extended position; means for releasably retaining said plunger in said retracted position comprising an arming wire positioned in said aligned holes and said peripheral groove; means for perfectly aligning said groove with said holes to insure snag-free removal of said arming wi-re comprising plunger adjustment means adapted upon adjustment to move the plunger slightly when the plunger is in retracted position; means for moving said plunger inwardly to said extended position; a spring-biased plug disposed within said channel and adapted to spring into engagement with the plunger recessed portion when the plunger is moved to extended position; and fire control electrical contact means connected to and closed by the plug when the plug springs into engagement with the plunger recessed portion.

2. In an arming device for a marine mine, the combination of housing means having an inner section, a channel, and an incomplete explosive train in the inner end section thereof, a plunger having a recessed portion and acompleting explosive train element slideably mounted within said housing for translatory movement from a retracted position to an extended position, means for releasably retaining said plunger in retracted position, means for moving said plunger inwardly to extended position, a spring-biased plug slideably disposed within said channel and adapted tospring into secure engagement with the recessed portion of the plunger when the plunger is moved sufliciently inwardly to register the completing explosive element with the incomplete explosive train, and fire control switch means connected to and operated by said plug and adapted to be closed when said plug is sprung into engagement with the plunger recessed portion. I

3. In an arming device, a housing means having an inner end, an outer end, aligned holes in the outer end, and 'a channel in the inner end; a movable plunger having an inner end section, an outer end section, a peripheral groove on the outer end section, and a recessed portion on the inner end section disposed within said housing; adjustment means for slightly moving said plunger inwardly and outwardly upon adjustment thereof to perfectly align said groove with said holes; a removable arming wire disposed in said groove and said holes to secure said plunger in a retracted position; means for moving said plunger inwardly from said retracted position to an extended position; a spring-biased plug disposed within said channel; and fire control electrical contact means controlled by said plug; said plug being adapted to close said electrical contact means and to move inwardly into engagement with said recessed portion when said plunger is moved to said extended position.

4. In an arming device for a marine mine, a housing having an inner end and an outer end and containing an incomplete explosive train at the inner end thereof and having two aligned holes at the outer end; a plunger slideably mounted within said housing for translatory movement from a retracted position to an extended position; said plunger having an inner end section, an outer end section having a threaded portion, a circular peripheral groove on the outer end section, and an explosive element contained in the inner end section and arranged thereon for alignment with said train to form a complete explosive train when the plunger is in said extended position; means for moving said plunger inwardly to said extended position; and means for retaining the plunger in an outward retracted position comprising an arming wire releasably positioned in said holes and said groove, a soluble washer disposed on the plunger inwardly of the threaded portion and resting on said housing, an adjusting nut screwed onto the threaded portion and abutting the soluble washer for slightly moving said plunger inwardly and outwardly to perfectly align said groove with said holes to insure snag-free removal of said arming wire.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,844,575 Harrison Feb. 9, 1932 1,933,608 Teitscheid Nov. 7, 1933 2,118,062 -Woodberry May 24, 1938 2,198,697 Driggs Apr. 30, 1940 2,400,549 Glennon et al May 21, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 263,985 Italy Apr. 10, 1929 297,182 Italy June.6, 1932 

